As market forces call for more efficient fluorescent lamps to be smaller and more incandescent in shape, conventional electroded fluorescent lamp faces difficult hurdles. The A-shaped bulb that covers conventional electroded discharges causes an approximately 8% lumen decrease due to reflection loss. The gas separation between the electroded lamp's tubular phosphor layer (where the heat is generated) and the A-shaped outer covering (where heat escapes the system) leads to inherently higher system temperatures. Higher temperatures lead to significant problems in producing higher lumen (e.g., >15 W, 800 lumen), A-shaped electroded systems.
Electrodeless fluorescent discharge lamps have solved many of the problems associated with the previous attempts to market compact fluorescent lamps. The discharge chamber can be made in the A-shape so there is no need for an outer covering. The phosphor is on the A-shape portion of the lamp so cooling is more effective. Such compact electrodeless lamps have been on the market for some time and basically comprise two different types; one type being an inductively driven plasma discharge with a separate ballast; and the other being an integrally ballasted, inductively driven discharge. The latter type of electrodeless discharge lamp works well generally; however, it presents some problems with heat, inadequate RF shielding for some uses, and inadequate temperature control for the amalgam.